Steering gear



W. S; BERRY STEERING GEAR March 21; 1944.

Filed Apiil 11, 1941 INVENTOR.

WALLACE S. 55/91? Y -BYWM h w ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 21, 1944 ITED STATES PATENT. oFFlcE STEERING GEAR Wallace S. Berry, Kenosha, Wis., assignor to Nash-Kelvinator Corporation, Kenosha, Wis.,

a corporation of Maryland Application April 11, 1941, Serial No. 387,997

10 Claims.

This invention relates to steering gears and has particular reference to means for mounting the steering gear of an automotive vehicle upon the frame of the vehicle. 7 g

It is an object of this invention to provide means for mounting a steering gear which will permit the steering column and gear to assume various angular positions with respect to the frame of the automobile to compensate for inaccuracies in the manufactured the frame and body of the automobile.

It is another object of this invention to provide means for mounting a steering gear which will prevent the transmission of vibration and shock from the frame of the automobile to the steering gear and steering column.

a It is another object of this invention to provide means for limiting the amplitude of the oscillations of the Pittman arm in a steering gear.

It is another object of this invention to provide means for locating flexible bushings for mounting a steering gear on a portion of the frame of an automobile. 7 Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and claims and the attached drawing, of which there is one sheet, and in which- 7 Figure 1 represents a side elevational view of a steering gear mounted upon a cross member of an automobile, the cross member and mounting means being shown in cross section;

Figure 2 represents an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the mounting bushings of "Figure 1 in greater detail;

'Figure 3 represents an enlarged sectional view showing a modified type of mounting bushing similar'to that shown in Figure 1';

Figure 4 represents a top view of the Pittman arm stop illustrated in Figure l; and

Figure 5 represents a view similar to Figure 1 showing a further modified method of mounting a steering gear on a rigid cross member.

This invention provides means for supporting'a steering gear on a member extending transversely of an automobile as'distinguished from the usual practice of supporting the gear on a longitudinally extending side "railor sill member of the frame." By way of example, there is illustrated in the drawing a rigid cross member In which may form apart of a chassis frame or may be secured to the-side sill members of a unitary type of auto- 'mobilebody construction. The cross memberis g'enerally channel shaped in cross section and opens downwardly with horizontalflanges 12 ex- 55 Pittman arm in 'place. by the gears within the case 20 causes the Pitttending from the lower edges thereof. The 'upper or webbed portion of the cross member ID is shaped as by stamping to form'a sloping wall M which slopes downwardly and forwardly of the automobile and defines apertures as at It. The sloping wall. lies in a plane which is approximately parallel to the line in which the central axis of the steering column I8 is to lie when installed in the automobile.

The steering column [8 is attached to a suitable case 20 within which the steering gear is positioned and which may be of any suitable design. The case 20 is provided with alug 22 on each side thereof, which lugs are drilled and tapped to receive the stud bolts 24. The stud bolts 24 extend downwardly through the apertures I6 in the cross member l0 and the lower ends of the stud bolts'are threaded to receive the nuts and lock washers 26. Positioned around each studbolt 24 on each side of the cross member In is a bushing generally indicated at 28. Each bushing consists of an outer, cylindrical member 30 having a flanged shoulder 32 defining an opening at one end thereof. Positioned in nested relationship within the cylindrical members 30 are the 'cylindrical ferrules 34 which are flanged outwardly as at 36. The space between the outer cylindrical members 30 and inner ferrules 31 is filled with an elastic material 38 such as rubber which is bonded to the inner surface of the outer cylindrical members and the outer surface of the ferrules 35 as by vulcanization. H

The shoulders of the cylindrical members 30 rest against the top and bottom of the inclined wall l4 with the flanges 32 projecting into'the apertures H5. The stud bolts 24 extend through the ferrules 34 and the rubber material is compressed by tightening the nut and washer 26.

The gear case 20 and steering column l8 are thus mounted on the cross member in without metallic contact between the cross member and the case and with sufficient flexibility in the connection to permit the steering column Hi to change its angular position slightly with respect to the cross member ID. The stud bolts 24 are also separated from the cross member 10 by the rubber in the bushings 28.

Projecting from the top of the case 20 is a shaft 40 on which is secured the Pittman arm 42. A nut and lock washer 44 are used to secure the Rotation of the shaft 40 man arm to oscillate in an are so that the ball end 46 will swing transversely'of the automobile to impart steering motion to the steeringlinkage (not shown); Bolted to the lower end of the case 20 is an angle plate .48 having an upper flange 50 and a base flange 52 which is secured to the bottom of the case 20 by the cap screws 54 which secure the cover 55 of the case 20 in place.

The upper flange 50 of the bracket 481 is so shaped as to have a central are 56 (see Figure 4) at each end of which is a pocket or notch 58. The notches 58 are arranged to-be located at the end of the desired" travelof thePittman arI'nAZ J The are 56 is of such a radius that the arm 42 clears the plate 50 in all intermediate positions of the arm. Note the various positions ot the Pittman arm indicated by the dotted circles 59 in Figure 3. The notches EB-jiup cti nt pre; vent the Pittman arm from turning the wheels of the vehicle at too great an angle.

In the construction shown inlFigur e w3, .which is the preferred form of the" invention, guide sleeves 60 and 62 have been added to-tljle construction shown in Figure l. The lew er guide S i r v d d-Wi a $1 r v1 f. .lll i h seats against the under surface of the cross ember IO and an upwardly extending cylin'; c ane fi whi h pr ject t ture [61in the cross ine'mber'ltl. The upper sleeve Ellis.providedwith 'ah inwardly cu flange 6 8 at the bottom lllilEI'SQOfiSgEttS against the upper surfaceiof 't ams member'ill and defines an aperture .tlfl" 7 I thecyiim drical flange 65 prQiQC T s. 'e upper edge of the cylindrical flange 66 is rolled'outwardly as at III to overlie' tl'ieinwardly turned flange 16.8 on the upper guide sleeve Gil; Ijheguide sleeves and '62'1arethusinterlocked and h eld in place on the crosszlhember l0 arid insure that the flanges I 3'2of the cylindrical members 3U will be centered ."in the aperture I6 and that the ylindri'cal "members will bear 7 properly against the surface of thecr oss'mernberflfl. The sleeves 60 and .6I2'have been'fouriddesirable due to fact that the thickness ofth mate ial in jthe ch'a'nnelmember l9 Ilim'itslthe length of the fia e 3 0n h h ll 95 1 mal 'fi rj t a the flan e Talon?'.are"i ls fi en to'whicli I make thefollowi'ng claims:

to properly center the bushings with respeetto the apertures The iis'e of the sleeves permits the speed of assembl "of the steering gearjaii'd cross" member tofbe increased without l dan ge of mis alignm'ent oflthpartsl" """In themodi'fied'foifm oi the rinvention illus trated'i'n Figure 5, the cross member "lllis iden- :tical with that shown in vFigural having the same'sloping wallflfl definingjap'er tures161' The steering gear case 20A is illustrated as being lbutf this is Q'riot mat 'ialto th case 20Alisprovided1w1t i v pertlireslthe samelas th, lugs 2 I slightly difieren't from thatfshowndn Figure" ,1

u sleie' Ser o ie 'o on the spacing washer 12 and the head of the cap screw 10 form lball surfaces which may swivel in the concave, semi-spherical surfaces of the washers 14 to permit the gear case 20A to change its angu position relative to the cross member L0. Thus thesteering column 18 may be raised or lowered to compensate for any inaccuracies which may occur in the manufacture of the automobile body. While the gear case 20A is permitted to swivel slightly, it is firmly supported upon the crossmembr lfl'.

I have thus provideda connection between the steering gear of an automobile'ahd the automo' bile body which permits the steering gear"ai1d Steering column'to be shifted slightly, which connection'may be simply andinexpen's'ively l'nad'ej I have also provided means -for insulat'- ing the steering gear fromthe automobile-body andiorlimiting the amplitude of oscillation'of the steeringgear. While the s'teeringgea'r has been disclosed as being attached to ari'gid cross member, it should be readily apparentthat sirniiar mounting inea'ns could be applied" to other portionsof an automobil'body, such as bracket attached to the'frameorside"sill, without'de parting from the spirit ofthe invention. 'While 'I'have'described my invention in some detail; I intend thisdscripti'on to be an ex mple only and iio't" as afjmitatioii of myirivehtioh',

l."A"con nection between'asteeririg gear case and a portion of anautomobilebody comprising a bolt extending between said 'body'and saidcaf's'e, bushings positioned around said bolt 'afid'bn ea h side "Qffsaidfbod'y portion, s'aidbii ihgs having inner and"outercylindriealmmbers spaced' f in each otherby deformable material; andrn .i q fina aid bus i r a iv to said .bodr

2. A connection between a steering gear case and a portionofj an: automobile ipody" cfo'mpr" in'g z t ext n hreveh e d "beds? .n fh a sec re t ai a e b ls i jgslpb said bolt on each side'lofsa u h nesh ne outer .93 .Q 1 inri'er portions spaced by d'efo m and flanges formed on'sa'idoute yl indr tions to locates aid r ativ o betw e .agtegrine, sea l a l v 7 of an automobileibodfde an aperture comprising mutually' su '0 nisie pimell bushin s efsleeY d en i i he 'y dthrougli said in members carried by said bushings, and bolts passed through said inner cylindrical members and attached to said steering gear case, said inner cylindrical members having flanges forming bearing surfaces against said case and bolt.

5. A connection between a steering gear case and a portion of an automobile body comprising a bolt having a convex, semi-cylindrical surface on the underside of the head thereof, means forming a convex, semi-cylindrical surface on said case, said bolt extending through said body portion and said last mentioned means, and washers positioned around said bolt on each side of said body portion, said washers having concave, semi-cylindrical surfaces mating with said convex, semi-cylindrical surfaces.

6. In an automobile, a steering gear case, a rigid cross member on the body of the automobile, spaced connecting means rigid with said case and extending from said case through said rigid member at points spaced transversely along said member, spacer means around said connecting means upon the upper and lower surfaces of said rigid member and interposed between said case and said member and said member and said connecting means and including means arranged to permit said case and connecting means to tilt relative to said member, and clamping means secured to said connecting means for clamping said case to said member.

7. A connection between a steering gear case and a portion of an automobile body comprising a bolt extending through said body portion and into said case, bushings surrounding said bolt on both the upper and lower surfaces of said body portion and acting to space the head of said bolt and said case from said body portion, said bolt being rigidly attached to said gear case, and means forming a :portion of said bushings permitting said case and bolt to rock relative to said body portion without disturbing the spacing function of said bushings.

8. A connection between a steering gear case and a portion of an automobile body comprising a fastener extending through said body portion and into said case and rigidly secured to said case, bushings surrounding said fastener on both surfaces of said body portion and acting to space said case from said body portion, said bushings and fastener including means movable relative to one another to permit rocking movement of said fastener and case relative to said body portion.

9. In an automotive vehicle, a frame member extending transversely of the vehicle at the front portion thereof, a steering gear case secured to the lower end of a steering column, a flat portion on a lower surface of said steering gear case extending in a plane parallel to the axis of said column, a flat portion on the upper surface of said frame member and extending in a plane parallel to the plane of said gear case fiat portion and therebelow, fasteners secured to said gear case and extending therefrom through said frame member fiat portion, grommets of deformable material surrounding said fasteners, said grommets being confined at both their inside and outside diameters by sleeves, means securing the inside grommet sleeves to said fasteners, and means securing the outer grommet sleeve to said frame member.

10. In a road vehicle, a frame member, a steering column assembly extending upwardly from said member and having a gear housing at its lower end, means securing the housing to the frame member, insulating grommets interposed between said housing and frame member, and ferrules confining said grommets upon their inside and outside diameters, one of said ferrules being supported from said frame member and the other of said ferrules being supported from said gear housing.

WALLACE S. BERRY. 

